Can the Eagles overcome their crisis?

A seven or eight win season would mean their midseason problems would be just a side note. Closing with four or five would mean they represented the start of a larger trend. A split in the final four would mean they are right where they were before: 6-6, mired in mediocrity.

While they keep all of that in mind, their main focus is an impressive Syracuse team that has won four of five and is on the verge of contending in the ACC.

“It’s a big game,” BC center Drew Kendall said. “We are really excited. We look forward to it every year.”

Priority No. 1 is containing a passing attack that ranks fourth nationally with 349 yards per game. Syracuse has attempted the most passes in the country with 387 and the most completions with 246.

Ohio State transfer quarterback Kyle McCord has breathed new life into the Orange under first-year coach Fran Brown. McCord, a 6-foot-3-inch, 220-pound senior, has attempted more than 60 passes twice in the last four games.

Trebor Pena, Jackson Meeks and Oronde Gadsden II make up a strong pass-catching group, and running back LeQuint Allen is a threat both in the air and on the ground.

O’Brien highlighted Syracuse’s versatility, route running and fundamentals as key attributes. He knows it’s a big challenge to contain the offense, especially because McCord is also a threat at all times.

“It’s very, very difficult,” O’Brien said. “They have a very, very good, efficient passing game.”

Ezeiruaku said the rush and coverage had to complement each other to hinder McCord & Co. Open tackling is essential to ensure that 5-yard gains don’t turn into 25.

“We just have to contain the quarterback, be more physical, be consistent with the edge and keep him in the pocket,” defensive end Quintayvious Hutchins said.

One potential area to exploit is that McCord, who has thrown 12 interceptions at the FBS level, gets greedy at times. The Eagles have 11 interceptions, which ranks them 14th in the FBS and fourth in the ACC. Compare that to eight picks in all of 2023, and it’s clear the young secondary is on the rise.

Freshmen Omar Thornton (free safety) and Ashton McShane (cornerback) have shown promise in expanded roles and likely face their toughest test yet on Saturday.

While Syracuse’s offense is strong, their defense isn’t exactly a heavyweight. The Orange have allowed 27.5 points per game, including 41 to UNLV, 41 to Pittsburgh and 31 to Virginia Tech.

The Eagles need to avoid a high-scoring affair and letting the Orange dictate the pace of the game. Winning the possession battle is always important for BC and could be crucial in this game.

“They have a great quarterback and an explosive offense,” Kendall said. “We’re going to try to keep the ball and limit their possession as much as possible, but it all starts with getting the running game going.”

The Eagles believe that if they reach their potential, they will control their own destiny. They used the bye week to reflect and drive home the importance of putting together a complete game.

BC looked like an ACC contender at times and a bottom performer at times. In the last three games, opponents have outscored the Eagles 46-0 in the fourth quarter.

“We focus on consistency and playing a whole game with consistent ball,” wide receiver Lewis Bond said. “There are moments, halves or quarters where we are doing well and then halves or quarters where things are not looking so good.”

O’Brien said it was just a matter of staying on schedule, adding he wished he knew why the offense didn’t make sustained attacks in the fourth quarter. He speculated that it may require better plays and better execution. Whatever it is, he said, they are working diligently to curb the trend.

He’s confident the Eagles are close, but he realizes proximity doesn’t count.

“It’s a game here, it’s a game there,” O’Brien said. “It’s about momentum, it’s not about riding the wave and we have to understand that we have to respond to some drivers. If the opposing offense goes down and scores, we have to answer that with a score. We can’t allow it to snow.”

Everyone in the program understands the problem. Time will tell if the Eagles can remedy the situation before it is too late.

Saturday’s showdown serves as a clean slate – a chance to regroup and put their worries behind them.

With No. 13 SMU (8-1), North Carolina (5-4) and No. 23 Pittsburgh (7-1) on the horizon, this is close to a must-win for the Eagles.

“We want to make a big statement in the last four games,” Kendall said. “It will take everything we have.”

Trevor Hass can be reached at [email protected].